The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-14
TIE TURNPIKE TAX.
Chairman sIsughtep's suggestien
for More Bonds.

81 see you all take me 10 task for my
proposition to issue $4,000 In bonds
for rad purposes" said County Court
Chairman Slaughter to an APPEAL re-
porter yesterday. .-a.
"Thst cannot be contradictej," wa,
the reply.
swell, sir, the more I think about
II, and tue more / hear on the outside,
the mora am / convinced that II is Q
wise plan. Now, let me lay down the
idea plainly, and see II Il doesn't strike
You the sane way. We pay now 10
cents for turnpikss, Tnat gives us
Just about eaough TO turnpike some
thing like ak miles per year. At that
rate IL will take at east twenty-five
years to fini.h mp the roads In Shelby
county. With the money Taieed from
these bonds we could push the work
through 10 completion 10 two yeare,
haviug the five main thoroughtares
turnpiked TO the Shelby line. / was
approached by one OF the heaviest
taxpayers Ia tie county a day or
two ago. who congratulated me
on the idea, saying. That's
what we need and want, good
roads leading from every direc ion
into Memphis. Levy all the taxes on
me you desire for that purpose and l
will not protest. told hlm-and II 10
q facl--iha, the taxes would not be
increased one cent That ten cents
will raise eaoueh money TO pay the
$4,000 and leave $4,000 or $4,000 az
q sinking fund"
slow do you proceed 10 figure on,
that reeult1'
Inst year the taxable property In
Shelby county was nearly 81, 0O0, 900.
This year Il IL reasonable 10 infer that
Il will not fall ehort Of ga 000,00 II
is generally known that valuations
are far below what they should be.
and next year. under he operations Of
the new assessment law, will probably
n aeh f30.C00,O00 or more. This
amount viii give us $50, COO for turn.
pike purposes; the interest on $500.
900, as PROPOSED, will be $4,000, and
there you are. At the end Of thirty
years, after having Kept up with the
Interest, We have the money 10 take
up the notes. In the meantime wa
will have the use OF all these sxcellenI
roads which cannot fall 10 materially
build up the taxable property Of the
county"
"Hsw doe, Shelby compare with
\ Davidson 2"
4 mot iavorably at present; but Their,
1 Ia no good reason why II should not
or be the banner county oil lhe State
} have not the actual figures Of David
. sou, but u am not mistaken II ex
, lcseds $50. 100000 Ia pereonal prop
! erty alone they have over H.0OO,OOO
while We fad lees than f2,00O,OOO
, ibis Ia surely only the result Of intfh
yient Assessments upon M.
Zone effect OF the turnpikes alone,
|. Continued the chairman alter q pause
A should commend my plan TO thu
Press and public, as think. Lant
. Twelve or Eileen miles in the Interior
}, NV valued q. only 80 per acre, wculC
1. le worth double that amount wher
:, rooted with permanent solid road
: ,a, over which the products could b
: hied % market. At present thu
a sal farmers, when they want 7
hfpt THAR cotton TO Nemphi
!. by ,ason, must cor 6ne themselves
y 10 nv two or three bales per wagon
. sinbl becauee their teams canno
70 pul, MIRO. Over turnpikes i've an'
sin ,ale could be hauled with th'
sam, ese. This would result Il
brinun erettlers 10 our county, and Il
,. ten y,aItbo,h population and wealtl
, woul, bsncreased at least one-third
:. withthea views OF the benefits,
canno hco belng impressed with III
!. wisdom oiIhe PLAN"